I Think I Love You Too
by TheSparklyEspeon
Summary: Sequel to IWAY. It's been a few months since Ash and Dawn started going out, and their feelings for each other are still strong. But when not-so-new girl Misty comes along, could she cause enough trouble to potentially separate the pair? The fic is STILL better than the summary (Kinda... A bit... Not really xD) PEARLSHIPPING! :D I update daily - Enjoy! ;)
1. Settling a Not-So-Old Score

**A/N**

**Yes! Finally, the IWAY sequel is done! Sorry about the delay, I had MASSIVE writers block partway through writing this story (around chapter 7) and it took me ages to bring myself to write anything. But I did (thank Arceus) and... Now this fanfic is up :D Oh, and there are less chapters this time, but... The chapters ARE longer, which is the main reason for this ;) But yeah, anyways, you've been waiting long enough xD So here is chapter one of ITILYT! Oh, and PLEASE REVIEW :D **

Dawn's POV

"Hey, watch out!" A shout of annoyance penetrates the unusual silence of the park. I turn swiftly to see a hurried looking girl, with short, bright orange hair, sprinting past me at top speed.

"Watch where you're going, can't you?!" she yells at me angrily.

"Hey, so it's my fault? You're the one who nearly tackled me to the ground!" I shout after her angrily.

She really has some nerve. I can't believe she'd not only nearly kill me, but act like it was my fault! Whoever she is, she needs to learn some manners. Man, I'm angry right now.

"Dawn, calm down. That girl may be a jerk, but that's her problem," my friend May tells me. It's all very well telling ME to calm down, but she's bristling too. I guess that's okay; I know she's just looking out for me. She is my best friend, which is why I'm spending the last day of half-term walking in the park with her, despite the fact there are probably better things I could be doing. I'm still pretty mad though. I just can't believe that girl had the nerve to-

My phone vibrates in my pocket, almost making me jump. I quickly withdraw it, and check the glowing screen. Squeeeeeeee! It's my boyfriend/other best friend, Ash. As I read the text, my smile immediately drops from my face.

'Sorry DD, I can't meet u later. Plz don't be mad! ;('

'Y? :'('

"What is it?" May asks me. She sounds worried.

I shrug. It's not like I know.

About a minute later, my phone vibrates again.

'My old friend Misty's moving here. She starts at our school tomorrow, and I agreed to meet up with her.'

Oh. Great. I text a sad face, then I am about to shove my phone back in my pocket, when it vibrates again.

'SORRY! :( I just haven't seen her for years, since I moved here... You can come if you want?...'

I guess I'm being too hard on him. Before I met him in year three, he lived in a nearby town, called Kanto. I guess they were good friends back then. I guess if it was me, I would want to meet up too. I can't blame him for wanting to see her.

'Nah, s'okay. I don't need to come. Hope you have a good time ;)' I text back.

"What is it?" May asks again.

"Oh, something came up. Ash can't meet up with me later." I tell her casually.

"Oh, shame. You can come with me and Drew into town if you like!"

"No, I'll be fine. Wouldn't want to get in your way!" I tease her.

She elbows me. Hard. Well, at least that hasn't changed.

As I pull back the front door, I see my mum standing in the hallway. She looks up when she sees me.

"Hi Dawn. I thought you were meeting Ash?..."

"Oh, yeah. Something came up. He couldn't make it."

"Okay. Do you want tea? I made cake!"

"Yeah, thanks Mum! That'd be great!" That's just what I need right now. I know I acted like I didn't care about Ash not being able to meet me later, but I'm still kinda disappointed. Oh well. I'm sure I'll feel better after I've had food.

Later, I retire to bed. I didn't really do much. I watched TV, played video games, read a book. I pull on my PJs, and I'm about to grab something to read, when my phone rings on my dressing table. I lunge for it, almost causing a cascade of books to fall on the floor, and knocking my hairbrush onto the wooden floorboards, where it comes to rest with a loud clatter. Breathless, I answer the call just before it rings off.

"Hi Dawn!" I hear Ash's voice and, even with the lousy speakers on my phone, I still feel immediately better.

"Oh, hi Ash! Why are you calling? I mean, it is half nine..."

"Oh, sorry. I just got in; I didn't know what time it was. Anyway, I just wanted to say I was sorry about earlier. I still feel really bad, and-"

"It's fine!" I interrupt him.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. You need to stop worrying so much!"

"I guess you're right. Bye, Dee Dee!"

"See ya!"

And he hangs up. Slowly, I switch off my phone, then climb into bed. Smiling.

The next morning, I walk to school with May. Ash texted me earlier to say he was running late, and told us not to wait for him, so it's just me and her. We head to the form room, and after Mr. Davy takes the register, we head to an assembly in the hall, much to our class's dismay. No-one likes assemblies. We always end up squished into a space which is much too small for the number of people they try to fit in there. But I guess that can't be helped. Anyway, we sit on the floor in not-so-straight lines, and our head-teacher, Mr Burr, steps onto the stage at the front. I notice someone standing in the shadows of the curtains, and when Mr Burr starts to introduce them, and they step forward. It's a girl of about my age, wearing a yellow cropped top, and bluish green shorts. She has neck length orange hair, tied up in a high side ponytail. And I've seen her before. It's the girl from the park.

"I'd like you all to welcome Misty, she's starting here today. She'll be in Year 8, in form-"

I've stopped listening. Because my brain's just made the connection. No. Nonononono. Misty. THAT'S Misty. The girl from the park. She's the girl who Ash canceled our date for...


	2. An Angry Combeenation

**A/N**

**Okay, don't really have a lot to say, but... First, this fanfic isn't deliberately anti-Pokéshipping, I just needed a girl who was a tomboy and slightly violent, so... Yeah, Misty seemed to fit xD. I didn't want to offend anyone XD. Okay, so just... Please review! Enjoy chapter 2 :)**

Ash's POV

After leaving the assembly, I see Misty sprinting full speed to catch up with me. Misty never does ANYTHING slowly. It feels weird talking to her again. I thought it would be awkward, but it's like she's never been away. Or rather, like I haven't. I really missed her, though. She WAS my best friend back in Kanto.

"Hey Ash!" Misty says enthusiastically.

"Oh, hi Misty! Did you enjoy being the centre of attention? And for something good, for once!"

"Since when do I not enjoy being the star? You know me well enough to know that!" She grins mischievously.

You don't have to be her best friend to tell she's a tomboy.

"Yeah, I guess some things never change!"

I hear someone ELSE call my name, and don't have to turn around to know it's Dawn.

"Dee Dee, what's up?"

She storms straight past me, instead heading straight for Misty.

"YOU! WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!" she shouts madly, causing many students around us to stare at her.

Misty just looks bewildered. "Excuse me?"

"You nearly crushed me yesterday. AND you acted like it was MY FAULT?! You're a jerk!"

"Um... Dawn, what's going on? I take it you've encountered Misty before?"

"Unfortunately, yes. She could have KILLED ME, running around like that!"

Misty interrupts her: "Oh, I'm really sorry, I was in a rush. I didn't mean to cause any trouble."

Dawn begins to speak again, but I stop her before she can cause any more arguments.

"There we go, problem solved, let's go!"

Dawn glares at me, then stalks off. Wow. What a great start to the term this is...

Break. I 'volunteered' to show Misty around, so I take her to the other blocks that we haven't been in yet, and the library, as well as the dinner hall. I haven't seen Dawn since earlier, but I guess it's best to just let her cool off. I question Misty about it in the library:

"So, what actually happened? It must have really annoyed Dawn. I mean, she has a temper, but she doesn't get mad that easily!"

"Oh, she was in the park when I was on my way to meet you. And...I was running. I told her to look out, and she didn't move, so I nearly ran into her. And I got kinda annoyed."

"So basically, you went all Misty on her. You didn't punch her did you? I know you do that sometimes... No wonder she's angry! Oh well, I guess you can apologise at lunch."

"Yeah...I guess..."

Then bell rings loudly, so we head to our next lessons.

The next lesson is PE, so I KNOW I won't see any of my friends; maybe some of the boys I used to hang out with last year. I get changed swiftly, not stopping to talk to anyone in my group - I don't really enjoy their wild and WEIRD conversations. When I'm changed, I take my seat on the floor in front of the teacher.

"Okay, is everyone done getting changed?!"

There's a muffled, unenthusiastic reply from the class. The teacher continues:

"Okay, today, as you know, we were SUPPOSED to do football, but due to the lousy weather, we are gonna try something different."

The entire class groans, including me. We know that what's coming can't be good.

"We're gonna play squash!" he says it like we're gonna be ecstatic. As if.

"So, pair up, then head to the sports hall!"

I glance around. Tracey is with Kenny, Max is with Brock, everyone else seems to be paired up. Well then. Guess I'm gonna be paired with the teacher. Hooray.

"HEY ASH! WANNA BE MY PARTNER?" Gary. Of course. Oh well, I guess it could be worse.

"Yeah, sure. Why not?"

"Great! Let's go!"

We practise for a while, hitting the ball back and forth between ourselves. I'm actually not that bad at it; I just think it's kinda boring. Then we start to play competitively. We frantically hit the ball between each other, getting faster as we go. Man, this could go on forever. Suddenly, the teacher blows the whistle, a shrill sound, right in my ear. I lose my focus. Not for long, just a second. But it's long enough. Gary hits the ball, and I feel something hit me hard, between the eyes. Then the world spins, and everything goes black...

"Ash? Ash! Ash, please, say something!"

I awaken to see a pair of amazing, royal blue eyes mere centimetres from my face. I attempt to sit upright, but quickly relax as pain flares through my head.

"Ash! Thank Arceus you're okay!" Dawn seems real worried.

"Uh... Hey, Dee Dee! Uh, what are you doing in the hall? And why do you look so worried? I've only been out for a couple of minutes, right?"

"Ash, I'm not in the hall, I'm in the nurse's office. And no, you haven't been out for a couple of minutes. You've been out for over an hour! I was so worried! I came as soon as I heard!"

"You sound like Delia," I tease. She scowls, but is unable to hold the expression, and is soon smiling again. Man, she looks good. I don't see how it's possible for her to even look so beautiful when she's stressing so hard.

I attempt to sit up once more, and this time the pain is manageable, and I am able to slowly look around me. Dawn's right, I am in the nurse's office, in a hard plastic chair against one wall. The nurse looks up from her records, and notices immediately that I'm awake. She proceeds to ask me some questions, and fills out a form with each answer. She checks if I can stand up, that I can see okay, and that I'm not feeling too dizzy, then the bell goes. She tells me I can go if I want, but I should come back if I feel unwell. Dawn slips her hand into mine, and we head to the Usual Place. May and Leona are waiting for us when we get there, and Misty is there too - I guess the girls told her where to go. Misty immediately runs over.

"Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh!" she tells me excitedly, "Are you hurt? Should you really be outside? What if you die?"

"Uh... Thanks, Misty... I'll be fine..." I say. Man, that girl is hyper.

Dawn glares at her viciously, then grips my hand tighter. I squeeze her fingers in response, to calm her down. Luckily, it works, and the tension leaves her almost immediately. Man, I just hope they make up soon... I hate to think what will happen if they don't...


	3. Not on MY Watch Ya Don

**A/N**

**Okay, I can't really think of much to say in this AN, so... Just thank you for reading, and...PLEASE REVIEW! :D I like to know what you think of it... So, yeah. Enjoy chapter 3 ^-^**

Dawn's POV

Man, I'm so mad right now. Misty acts all over Ash when he's hurt, then glares at ME for being with him! SHE IS A JERK! It's the end of the day now, and I'm standing on the crowded road outside school, waiting for Ash to make his way out. We're going out again tonight. SQUEEEEEEEE! But where IS he? I check my watch. School finished five minutes ago - why isn't he here? I hear my ringtone - my favourite song, 'High Touch!' - and withdraw it from my pocket. Ash. I answer it quickly.

"Hi Ash, where are you?"

"Oh, I'm on my way now. Ya know, I was wondering: As you and Misty don't really know each other, I thought maybe she could come with us, and we could show her round town too! You might get to now each other better, and-"

I glare at the ground in anger. I can't believe he really wants HER with us on OUR date!

"No! SHE'S not coming! If you're so keen to spend time with Misty, then you can forget about me coming, and go out with HER instead!" I reply harshly.

I end the call before he can say anything else. My phone vibrates in my pocket; he must be trying to text me. Well, he can just talk to Misty, because he obviously likes HER so much. I'll have to walk home on my own. May is going out with Drew, and Leona has already left school. Oh well. I don't think I could face talking to anyone anyway. I have to blink quickly to stop myself crying. I keep my head down as I walk, and go as fast as I can - the sooner I can get home, the better.

I unlock the front door, and storm into my house. My mum's out, so I have the whole building to myself. For now. I dump my bags in the hallway, then run up the stairs into my room. I collapse on the bed. I thought he liked me. But no, the second SHE comes along, he thinks it's okay to break my heart. I mean, he took her side EVERY TIME today. Tears cloud my vision before I can stop them. Why did she have to go everywhere with Ash anyway? She must be capable of doing SOME things independently! I'm sobbing uncontrollably now. I can't believe this. I HATE HER! She's just gonna mess everything up, I know it. Man, I'm worked up. I'm probably overreacting, but this just KEEPS HAPPENING. And anyway, I'm not in the mood to do anything productive, so I'll just lie here. Maybe I'll cry myself to sleep.

I wake to the unusual sensation of a bored, silver-grey tabby pawing at my forehead. I grab my pillow and attempt use it as a shield while I try to discharge the feline from my face.

"Glameow, stop it!" I laugh.

She just bats the pillow with interest, sending a splash of water over my face. I realise I must have been crying into it all night. I scowl for a moment, then smile again as Glameow tilts her head curiously. I guess I SHOULD wait before I jump to conclusions. Misty might be a jerk, but that doesn't mean she can get between me and Ash. I overeacted MASSIVELY last night. I drag myself out of bed, and pull on my clothes. I grab my phone off my bedside table, and slip it into my pocket. I pause to glance at the framed picture on the wall. Ash gave it to me four months ago, on the night we got together. I wish things could be as perfect now as they were that evening. But... Oh Arceus! I just saw the clock. I am REALLY running late. I grab my bags, and run out of the house. Man, I'd better be quick.

Phew. Just made it. My class is just going in to our form room. I quickly take my seat next to May, and try to catch my breath. I had to run most of the way here. May looks at me curiously, but doesn't ask any questions. For that, I'm grateful. Mr Davy takes the register, and then crosses the room to talk to Misty, and check she's settling in okay. Jerk. I can't believe SHE'S getting all the attention from everyone. She doesn't deserve it. May notices me glaring in her direction.

"I see you've made a friend."

"HER? I wouldn't be friends with HER if you paid me!" I protest angrily.

"Okay, okay, I was just joking! Chill!"

I immediately feel guilty.

"Sorry, I just... Don't like her. It's hard to explain."

"Nah, s'okay. I understand. She's a jerk, and everyone likes her before they even know who she is."

"Well, it must be before they know who she is if they like her!" I remark, and we both laugh. At least we can laugh about her together. Laughing makes everything okay...


	4. Buizel Your Way Out of This!

**A/N**

**Okay, don't have much to say, but I am gonna mention, that... In the UNLIKELY event I forget to upload, it will just be that I got so carried away playing ORAS that I forgot *sweatdrops* NOT that I abandoned this fanfic xD... But yeah, PROBABLY shouldn't happen, just thought I'd mention XD Anyways, enjoy chapter 4 ;)**

Ash's POV (Kinda pointless extra, because I wanted Ash to say something)

The bell rings loudly for the end of registration, interrupting my conversation with Gary. Thank Arceus. Coz when I say conversation, I mean Gary talks, I try not to listen. And I don't think I could stand any more of him telling me how weak I looked when I passed out yesterday. Luckily, I've known Gary for long enough to know how to zone out when he talks. In fact, I've perfected it to an art form. Anyway, the class all leave the form room, and begin the battle of the corridors.

Dawn's POV

Our first lesson is Geography, and I try my best to get there as quickly as possible; I certainly don't want a repeat of last term. I swiftly take my seat at the back desk, and about a minute later, Ash sits cautiously next to me.

"Hi Dee Dee," he says casually. Which basically means something's wrong.

"Oh, hey Ash. What's up?"

"Oh, um... I just.. I feel really bad about last night... I just know you don't get along, and... I thought it could help. But I'd much rather have gone on our date than have gone to town with Misty. You mean so much more to me than her - I thought you'd know that!"

If we weren't in a lesson, I'd probably throw my arms around his neck and hug him until he complained loudly I was suffocating him. Unfortunately, we ARE in a lesson. So I can't. But I guess that's okay.

"That's alright. I don't mind." I wink. "No need to worry, right?"

He grins. "Yeah, but ya know that's when I worry the most!"

I punch his shoulder playfully, then giggle as he pretends to be fatally injured. Then the teacher starts the lesson, so I direct my attention towards her.

The rest of the lesson passes uneventfully, as does period 2. Ash and I head to the library for break, when I spot Misty running up to us.

"Hey there Ash!" She exclaims loudly and enthusiastically, "Whatcha doin'?"

"Oh, we're just going to the library," he tells her.

"Can I come?" she asks. She's still avoiding eye contact, and acting like I'm not even here. Jerk.

I gently slip my hand into Ash's, and reply before he can say anything:

"Sorry Misty, but they're trying to encourage year 7s into the library, so only REGULARS are allowed in. So I guess that means you'll have to find somewhere else to annoy people. Sorry!"

"Was I talking to you?" she demands angrily.

"Well, you were talking to MY BOYFRIEND, and I was standing right there. So, yeah, you basically were, thanks."

She scowls at me, then turns her attention back to Ash.

"Oh well. I'll just hang around then. Come see me if you get tired of hanging out around this."

It's my turn to scowl, and I glare at her madly as she puts unnecessary emphasis on the word 'this'.

"Come on Ash, let's go!" I grab his hand, and drag him into the library, before he can say anything else.

Well, that was eventful...

Period 4. We have Science. For all last term, there was an empty stool next to me. Guess who'll be filling it from now on. Yep, you guessed it. MISTY. I tried persuading the teacher to let me move, but she just said:

"Well, maybe if you spend some time working with each other you'll start to get along! Besides, you only have to work together - You hardly have to be best friends."

Yeah. I'm pretty sure they said THAT about Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde... Wait. It works! Misty is totally a psychopathic maniac who tortures people for fun!

We're gonna be doing a practical in pairs. And of course, that means we have to work with the person who sits next to us. Joy. We're using the bunsen burners, so me and Misty have to use one of the tables located around the edge of the classroom, away from the rest of the class. Great. Not only do I have to work with her, I have to be ALONE with her too.

"Would you mind getting a splint?" she asks me with mock politeness. I know she's trying to annoy me; I'm not gonna show my frustration.

"Yeah, sure."

I'm still not going to attempt to argue. If she gets a reaction, she'll be getting what she wants. I just go and fetch the splint from the plastic container on the teacher's desk, and hand it to her.

"Thank you so much!" she says sweetly.

I nod swiftly in acknowledgement. We start the experiment. We're actually doing pretty well, I'm able to record some good results. But then, Misty suddenly says suddenly and quietly:

"Stay away from Ash. He's mine."

I stare at her in astonishment.

"Actually, he's my boyfriend. So, you know, I really don't think he IS yours."

She laughs. "Well, he's certainly not yours! Have you heard what he says about you?"

I glare at her.

"What do you mean? What does he say?"

She laughs again, a laugh that would put most psychopathic movie villains to shame.

"Oh, that's not important. All I'm saying is," she casually inspects her fingernails, which are long and jagged - and sharp. "You should stay away from him. Otherwise, maybe you'll find out what I use these for. Oh, and did you know I was karate champion five years running at my old school? Say, I could really do with some practise! Maybe you could help me out!"

I stare at her in horror. I knew she was a jerk, I never thought she'd go this far. But, looking at her, I see she has a ferocious glint in her eye, like a hunter scanning the terrain for prey. I really don't doubt that she could cause me some serious harm.

"So, do we have a deal?" She speaks menacingly, like she already knows my answer.

I sigh.

"Yeah."


	5. Aiding the Enemy

**A/N**

**Okay, just gonna say this quickly... I'm really not THAT proud of this sequel. In fact, I think it's kinda (really) bad. That may just be me, but... :/ Yeah. Anyways, please review :D and... Yeah, enjoy chapter 5 ;)**

Ash's POV

I jerk in my seat as the bell goes for lunch. I've just had to endure an HOUR of Gary arguing with me about whether or not it's safe to mix all the chemicals, then heat them. I don't know about him, but I think I'd preferably like to keep my eyebrows, for now at least. I pick up my stuff, and head over to fetch my bag from the racks in the corner. I stand and wait in the doorway for Dawn, May and Leona, and begin to follow them to the Usual Place. May and Leona are talking happily, but Dawn isn't joining in on their conversation. Something's wrong with her.

"Dawn, can I talk to you for a second?" I touch her shoulder gently.

"Awwww!" May teases.

"Yeah yeah, real mature," I tell her, smiling uncertainly. "I'm sure you've had private conversations with Drew!"

She blushes. Bingo.

"Yeah, yeah, okay, I get it. Let's go!" She and Leona walk on, leaving me and Dawn alone in the corridor.

"You okay?" I ask.

She nods.

"You sure? Because you don't LOOK okay, and-"

"I SAID I'M FINE!" Her angry response shocks me, and I step back, hurt.

She takes a deep breath. "I'm sorry, I just..."

"What is it? You can tell me."

She hesitates. "It's just Misty. She said-"

"HI GUYS! Say, do you think I could borrow Dawn for a sec?" Misty suddenly appears from nowhere.

Dawn sighs, then walks dejectedly over to her. I watch as they exchange a few words - I can't make out anything they say. Then, to my surprise, Dawn turns and jogs in the other direction.

"Where is she going?" I ask Misty, unsure what's going on.

"Oh, May wanted her. She sent me to get her for them. Hope you don't mind!"

"Oh, okay. Should I go?"

She pauses.

"Maybe you'd better not." She sounds almost regretful, and that's not a good sign.

"Why?"

"Because... Well. Let's just say... She doesn't necessarily like you as much as she lets on. And... Her and the other girls MAY say some stuff about you when you're not around."

Wait. WHAT?!

"Excuse me?!"

She looks at me sympathetically. "Look, I'm sorry. They told me not to tell you, but... I just thought it would be better if you knew."

I stare at the ground. Dawn wouldn't do that... Would she?

Misty touches my shoulder gently.

"You know I'm still your friend, right? No matter what the others say."

I smile gratefully, but to be honest, I don't care what SHE thinks of me. I put my head down, and head for the lunch hall - I'm not in the mood to face the girls, and they obviously don't want ME there anyway.

I eat lunch with Gary and Drew; I must admit, as annoying as they can be, I have missed this while I've been hanging out with Dawn and her friends.

"So, you still going out with Dawn?" Drew asks casually.

"Uh... Yeah, I guess..." The question takes me by surprise. It hurts to think that what Misty said could be true. I mean, Misty IS pretty good at messing with peoples' heads, but I'm her friend. She wouldn't do that to me, right? But then again, Dawn... Dawn likes me, doesn't she? I just... Don't know anymore. The bell goes, so I quickly eat the last of my sandwich - although it just tastes dry and plain - then pick up my bags, and head to the final lesson.

The end of the day. I walk dejectedly towards the edge of school, where I was supposed to meet Dawn. I'm lost in my thoughts. There's no sign of her, so lean against the wall, and wait.

"Hey Ash!"

I glance up to see a familiar redhead standing in front of me.

"Oh. Hey, Misty," I mumble. To be honest, I'm not in the mood to talk to her.

"Whatcha doin?" she asks curiously.

I pause; I'm not entirely sure why.

"Waiting for Dawn," I answer after a second, "We're going out tonight."

"Oh." she sounds almost angry in her response, but then she brightens:

"Oh, well. Hope you have a nice time!" she walks off.

I glance up the path leading back into school. I can see Dawn walking along, towards me.

"Dee Dee!" I call.

She looks up immediately, and waves shyly. I grin, and wave back. She speeds up, and is alongside me before I know it. And we head off...

We walk into town. I never knew anything could be so TENSE! Neither of us says anything; we just progress in silence. Maybe Misty was right after all. I find myself lost in thought before I know it - it's not like we're exactly gonna engage in deep conversation anyway. We get to into the town centre, and then just stand around. I mean, we didn't really have any location in mind when we organised the date. Usually just being together is enough. But, Dawn seems really distracted - and almost worried - about something too. Oh! I realise that, in the end, she never got to say what she was gonna tell me earlier. I'm just about to ask her, when I spot a girl coming around the corner. Misty. And she's coming this way.


	6. For the Love of Meowth!

**A/N**

**Okay, nearly forgot to upload today xD But it's fine, I remembered ;) Sorry if the quality drops slightly around here; like I said, I kinda had some writer's block around this point in the story :'( But it might be okay, I dunno *crosses fingers* So yeah, anyways, enjoy chapter 6 :D**

Dawn's POV

Man, Misty may be a jerk, but I'm beginning to think that she may be right about Ash. I mean, he barely spoke to me since we left school! We're supposed to be going out, yet it's like he doesn't even know I exist. And when I think about that, it takes all my willpower not to break down and cry. I abruptly snap out of my thoughts when I notice Ash staring at something behind me. I spin around, to see- NO. SHE can't be here! Misty smiles sweetly at me, and my phone vibrates loudly in my pocket.

'Make an excuse. I want to talk to you.'

No. She keeps walking past us, but glares at me fiercely as she passes. I know there's no point protesting. I turn to Ash.

"Um... Do you think I could... Go over there and, um... Look at something?" I tell him reluctantly.

He looks down at the ground. "Yeah... Sure."

"Thanks." I quickly jog around the corner to where I know Misty is waiting for me. I stare at her in annoyance.

"What the hell do you want?" I challenge her loudly.

My vision blurs as pain flares suddenly through my arm. I struggle to regain consciousness, and my head spins.

"I said, STAY AWAY from him! Ignore me once more, and you'll regret it. Besides, it's not like he wants to be with YOU! You'd be doing him - and yourself - a favour!" Misty tells me quietly. Strangely, the fact she isn't shouting makes her seem even more vicious.

She stalks off, and I slowly rise to my feet. Pain shoots through my arm again, but it's just about bearable. My phone vibrates again.

'Don't go back to him. Go home.'

Man, I don't even know how Misty got my number! Probably from Ash. If she's telling the truth, then he's probably in on this whole thing too. I can't rejoin him now. I reluctantly retrieve my phone from my pocket, and send him a text.

'Sorry, gtg home. See ya tomorrow.'

Then, carefully, I begin to make my way home...

I try to open the door as quietly as possible, but as it turns out, I don't need to. I forgot, but Mum's gonna be out this evening, so I have the house to myself. I dump my bags, and storm upstairs. I sit down heavily on my bed, careful not to catch my arm on anything. It was bright red, now it has a massive patch of blue in the middle. Great. That's gonna take some explaining. I glance around my room, and my eyes automatically fall on the picture hanging in a frame on my wall. ARCEUS! I don't see how Ash could like me so much then, when the second Misty comes along, I mean nothing to him! The pain in my arm is NOTHING compared to this. I'm crying now. I HATE HER! I HATE THEM BOTH! But I don't. I KNOW I don't. I hate Misty, sure. But I don't hate Ash. This wouldn't be a problem if I hated Ash. But I like Ash. The realisation comes to me suddenly. Memories flood into my head - us at primary school playing some stupid game, high-fiving after he said something clever in response to May, us at the halloween dance with my arms around his neck after he gave me the picture, and so many more.

No. I don't like him.

"I love him." The words are out of my mouth before I realise I said them. I feel stupid, and scared. But they're true. I never said anything more true in my life. And I begin crying even harder than before when I realise that I KNOW he doesn't feel the same way about me, otherwise he wouldn't be doing all those things Misty said he was doing. And now I'm scared. I love him. I love him. How can I LOVE him? I mean, I knew I REALLY liked him. But it's not the same. I just... I don't know. I don't even know any more. I just know how much I love him. Ash Ketchum. I can't stop crying. I crawl under my covers, and try to shut my eyes, but it doesn't stop the tears from coming. Breath. Calm. Just... Relax. Slowly, I let myself drift into a dreamless sleep...


	7. Pillars of Friendship

**A/N**

**Okay, I'm kinda in a rush, so lemme just say:mSorry if anything in this chapter doesn't read well or has mistakes and stuff, I was really in a hurry to get this up, so... I didn't have time to proof read xD So anyways, yeah, enjoy it and stuff ;) xD**

Ash's POV

I wake with a start to a loud, shrill beeping in my ear. Man, I need a new alarm. As I drag myself out of bed, a tidal wave of memories comes over me, and I remember last night; how Dawn 'had to go home'. Yeah, right. And I flew to school last week. I guess Misty was right about her not liking me any more. I mean, she wouldn't lie to me, right? She IS my friend. Wait, what was Misty doing in town yesterday anyway? She came towards us like she saw us, but didn't even say a word! Oh well... I guess it's none of my business what she was doing anyway. It couldn't have had anything to do with Dawn. But it still doesn't explain what happened, and... I... I just don't know. I pull on my clothes, and grab my bags from the floor. I jog downstairs.

"Do you want some breakfast, honey?" my mum calls from the kitchen.

"No thanks Mum! I'd better get going. Don't wanna be late!" I tell her brightly.

I open the front door, and glance around the street.

"Hey, Ash!"

I turn my head swiftly, to see May waving from across the road. I call to her.

"Hey! Where's Dawn?"

She looks puzzled. "She texted to say she was gonna be late today, so we should go on without her. Didn't she tell you too?"

"Uh... No. She must've... Known you'd tell me." I tell her unconvincingly. More like she doesn't care whether I know or not. I can't tell May this though. If Misty's right, she's probably saying stuff about me too. Yet another friendship ruined.

We walk in silence. I'm not in the mood to talk to anyone right now. I mean... I thought Dawn felt the same about me as I did about her, and... I just can't believe she-

"What's up?" May's voice penetrates my thoughts.

"Nothing," I reply briefly. I don't see how SHE can pretend to care.

"Oh, yeah, that's why you're acting so miserable all of a sudden. You haven't been yourself AT ALL recently! I mean, you don't HAVE to tell me, but if you think it might help, then..." She trails off.

I turn to look at her. She actually seems concerned, which is more than anyone else has done for me recently. Then I realise that, although me and May haven't always been the best of friends, she IS there for me, and I struggle to believe she could be part of anything Dawn and the other girls are doing.

"It's just... Misty told me some stuff, about... About Dawn saying some stuff about me behind my back, and... Well, what with all that's been going on, I'm just... Finding it harder to doubt that. And I just... Wish I knew why she was doing it. I thought she liked me."

She looks at me sadly.

"Well, I haven't heard her say anything, but I don't know. It's just...Well, Misty... Misty can be a jerk sometimes, and... Just trust your heart over her. And above all: trust Dawn. You think she likes you; she does. Probably a lot more than you know."

She seems sympathetic, but I can detect something else in her voice - is that... Anger? Annoyance, at least. Her words appear meaningful, but on the other hand... Well, they seem almost too perfect. They're probably spoken more in comfort than truth. But I appreciate them all the same. I smile at her.

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it. I mean, literally, don't mention it. I was getting pretty poetic, and I'd never hear the end of it if the others found out." She laughs, and I can't help but grin as the tension vanishes instantly. At least I have one friend left...

Break now. From what I've seen of Dawn today, she seems distracted about something. I haven't spent that much time with her; whenever I make any attempt, she ignores me. I can't say I expected anything more.

"Ashashashashash!" I turn to see May running towards me.

"Hey," I tell her unenthusiastically, "What's up?"

"Dawn's over there! Why don't you ask her to go with you to the library! She doesn't seem to have anything better to do, so..."

"I'd, um... Rather not..." I answer awkwardly. But one look at May's face tells me that she's not gonna take no for an answer.

"Okay, okay," I don't feel like arguing. What's the worst that could happen?

"Great! I'll go get her! Wait here!"

The next couple of minutes feel like hours, waiting in the unusually quiet school yard. Finally, I see her, walking with her head down towards me.

"Hey," I say cautiously. She looks up, and smiles, but says nothing. I just start walking to the library. She follows me.

"So, umm... How are things?" I offer feebly. I REALLY don't know what to say.

"Okay."

I'm about to tell her it doesn't matter, that I can go by myself, when she speaks again.

"Oh, about yesterday... I'm sorry... It's just... I can't explain, I'm sorry! I just wanted you to know... I didn't want to leave you there, and... I'm sorry!" She runs off. I try to follow her, but she's too fast. I don't know what's going on. She apologised, so maybe it really WASN'T her fault. But I dunno. I try ringing her, but it just goes straight to voicemail; typical Dede, having her phone switched off. Or maybe she's just ignoring me. That's plausible too, I guess... I ring May.

"HAVE YOU SEEN DAWN?" I question her as soon as she answers.

"Uh... Have you lost it? She's with you, remember? You know, Dawn: blunette, blue eyes, white beanie? Remember her?"

"Uh, yeah! The girl who just ran off crying! Have you seen her?"

"OMA, really? Do you think she's okay?"

"Well I don't know, do I?" I suddenly find myself getting angry at her for acting so ignorant.

"Well, sorry! Sorry for caring about my friend!" she answers viciously. I grimace.

"Look, I'm sorry. I'm just worried about her, and..."

Her tone immediately softens. "Nah, s'okay. I'm worried too. Look, I'll come meet you over in the library, yeah? And then we'll search everywhere for her."

"Okay." I hang up. Where is she? Why did she run off? I hope she's okay... I mean, if anything where to happen to her... Well, I just don't know. But I... I don't think I could live without her.

"I love her." Arceus, did I just say that out loud? At least I'm the only one here. But... Really? How can I?... I mean... I just...

"Ash!" May runs up to me, interrupting my sudden realisation, "Let's start searching! Quick!"

And we begin to search the school...

"No, she's not in there." May tells me. She's just checked in the girls' bathrooms;apparently she wasn't there. And that was the last place we could think of. Which can mean only one thing.

"Dede's missing..."


	8. Wild in the Streets

**A/N**

**Okay, the penultimate chapter :D Again, sorry this is so short... Like I say, I focused on making longer chapters this time, so... Yeah. Oh, and AGAIN, sorry about yesterday's bad quality... I was REALLY in a rush XD Anyways, enjoy the chapter! Please review! :D Thanks for reading ^-^**

Dawn's POV

Oh Arceus. Misty saw me try and tell Ash about her! She's gonna KILL ME! Even Ash agrees that she's violent; she's not gonna hesitate to do me some serious harm. I stop running, and lean against the nearby wall; I can't go any further. I... I don't know what to do. I have NO-ONE. Ash likes Misty more than me, May just hangs out with Drew and even Leona has Kenny. And I'm alone. Woah, am I outside school? I literally just realised that in my haste, I completely lost all sense of direction. I'm halfway down the road! So, now I can just add a detention for skiving to the list of things that are going wrong in my life. It would probably be quicker to make a list of the things that HAVEN'T gone wrong recently. I'm certainly struggling to think of any.

"Shouldn't you be in school?" I look up swiftly to see a familiar, red haired girl glaring ferociously down at me. "Oh, never mind. I guess dealing with you is easier if there's no-one around."

Oh, Arceus. I KNEW this would happen. Misty found me, and she's just gonna beat me up. I can't run. She would catch up effortlessly. I glance around, but Misty's right - there's no-one around who could help me.

"Why do you hate me so much?" I manage to ask her somewhat defiantly.

"Oh, I don't hate you. You just didn't do as I said. I gave you fair warning!" Her singsong response sounds almost friendly - at least to anyone who doesn't know her. To me, it sounds more like a murderer toying with their victims before death. And that doesn't exactly reassure me.

"But what you said was to give up the boy I love! How could you expect me to do that? And more importantly, why?"

She laughs, and I shudder. "Because he's too good for you! Let me put it simply: he's cute, funny and talented, and what are you? Well, you aren't particularly attractive, you have no sense of humour, and you DEFINITELY don't have any talents! And you're certainly a mess too."

I recoil. I DO look a mess, I've been crying do hard. As she says, I doubt I look even marginally attractive. It's almost like throwing insults comes naturally to her, and she automatically knows what will hit hardest. Somehow, I muster the courage to stagger to my feet.

"But... You can't ask me to do that. I mean... He may not think that much of me, but... I really like him, and I couldn't just... Leave him!"

"Oh well." She smiles with mock sweetness. "I guess you just need some more encouragement!"

Pain flares through my arm as she grabs it hard, and squeezes viciously. Oh, Arceus! I can barely think past the pain! How can she possibly know the exact spot that it was bruised in? It's almost like she specifically chose that spot to hit me yesterday. Wait, maybe she did! She probably knew I wasn't gonna leave Ash, and...

"You planned this whole thing!" I accuse angrily, " You never expected me to leave Ash, you wanted to beat me up since you started threatening me, and-"

She interrupts me. "Of course I did! I didn't really think you would ever leave Ash; you're much too loyal for that. So I decided to have some fun with you! Hasn't this been so much more entertaining?"

She gives me a friendly shove; at least it WOULD be a friendly shove if it wasn't right on the already throbbing bruise on my arm. I flinch.

"You're sick." I tell her, regaining some of my confidence. Only a small part, but still. Better than nothing, I guess.

"Oh, you think so? Maybe some people just don't appreciate good entertainment when they see it!"

"You call this entertainment? I guess some people are just grateful for anything to fill their otherwise meaningless existences!"

I feel an ache in my stomach as the truth of my situation dawns on me. I'm stuck here, defenceless, with a girl who hates me, and plans on harming me, and all I'm doing is making her MORE angry? What am I, stupid? I think I've lost it. It's not just my arm that hurts anymore: the pain is spreading up to my neck, and I have a searing headache to add to it all. All this because of some guy, who I just couldn't bare to leave. So it's HIS FAULT! Oh Arceus, what am I saying? It isn't his fault. Well, I guess it kinda is, coz he IS saying stuff behind my back, but still! I can't bring myself to blame him for this. After all...

"No. You're not going to intimidate me any more. I WILL NOT give him up!"

She kicks me in the shin. Hard. Pain shoots through my leg as my leg buckles. But that's not gonna stop me now.

"No! You can do what you want to me, I WILL NOT STOP LOVING HIM!"

"Well then, I guess you asked for it."

She raises her fist, and I know she means it this time. I brace myself for the strike.

"STOP!"

Misty falters; only for a second, but long enough for someone to tackle her away from me. Then the someone turns to face me. Someone with jet black hair. Someone with brown eyes, and a lopsided smile.

Someone whose name is Ash Ketchum.


	9. Shapes of Things to Come!

**A/N**

**Okay PearlShippers/Anyone else who reads my li'l fic ;). The time has come. Finally, the final chapter of ITILYT. The good news is (just realised this lol) I apologised, like five times less this time round xD Anyways, yeah, still not really sure this was a very good story, but... Ya know. It keeps me occupied XD. Oh, and the ending isn't intended to sound EXACTLY 'romantic'... It's more of a kind of 'mocking speech pattern' kind of way xD But yeah, ya'll will understand what I mean when you read it :P Anyways, enjoy the FINAL chapter of ITILYT... *sobs* Ima miss these guys :') xD**

**EDIT (MUST READ IF YOU WANT A REAL ENDING!): Okay... I'm really starting to hate ITILYT now; especially this last chapter. So... I'll be making gradual edits- so if it reads a bit... weirdly? Then you know why :P And I'm adding things, too, so you find out stuff that wasn't there before, like *****Spoiler: what happened to misty. Spoiler ends here* xD Anyways, enjoy. Or don't. Your choice.**

**Edit's are done now, so it SHOULD read okay again now. HAVE FUN! :D xD**

**Edit (2): I feel like this fic kinda has an anti-bullying feel to it... Kinda like that advice teachers always give you about, like, ignoring them or standing up to them :P xD I'm sure my teachers would be proud of me :P xD**

Dawn's POV

Ash! I never thought I could be so relieved to see him.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Misty shouts angrily from the spot Ash tackled her into, "You have no right to do that!"

"Oh don't I? Well you certainly have no right to beat up my girlfriend!" I hear real anger in his words, like he's really shocked at what happened; maybe even hurt. "So I suggest you get lost, or I can do a lot worse than push you."

I've never seen him this angry, and apparently, Misty hasn't either. She seems to be getting the message.

"Okay, okay, jeez!" For a moment, she looks like she wanted to say more, but decided against it, thank Arceus. She jogs swiftly away. I've never been so happy to see someone go.

"Are you okay?" Ash asks me quietly, once Misty is out of sight.

I nod slowly. "Yeah... I guess. Umm..."

"What is it? Are you hurt?"

"No... That's not it. It's just..."

I sigh. I just... Don't know...

"Why did you do that?" I blurt out suddenly. "I thought... I thought you liked Misty, and were saying stuff about me behind my back! So why would you threaten to beat her up for me?"

He stares at me in astonishment. "You thought I liked MISTY? No way! Of course I don't! I thought YOU were saying stuff about ME behind MY back!"

"Where did you hear that?" I ask.

Oh yeah...

"Misty." we both say in unison.

I laugh, more from relief than anything.

"Wait, so... Everything about you saying stuff about me... Wasn't true, right?"

"Of course not... I mean, I wouldn't... I mean..."

I meet his gaze, those amazing brown eyes staring right into mine. I quickly look away, suddenly feeling like my feelings are written all over my face.

"It's okay. I know what you mean." I tell him gently. And I do. I know exactly what he means. I know I could never leave him, that whatever happens, I WILL stay with him. I think I proved that pretty well today.

"So... We're good, yeah?" he asks tentatively, as if afraid to hear the answer.

I glance up at him again, and I suddenly find that I can't look away, I'm losing myself in his warm brown eyes, the eyes that I see whenever my mind wanders, whenever I dream. And suddenly, we're kissing, and my mind melts away. Completely. All I know is that it's amazing, and Ash still likes me, and... I'm happy. Happier than I've ever been. Unfortunately, we both need air, so we separate, if not somewhat reluctantly. From the look on Ash's face, he's as surprised as I am. I can't help but laugh at his shocked expression.

"We're better than good," I confirm, still slightly (extremely) astonished at everything that's happened.

He grins, and the small portion of my heart that's still intact melts. SQUEEEEEE!

"Oh Arceus." I just realised: we NEED to get back to school. Apparently, Ash just had the same thought, as he grabs my hand, and we set off running back onto the grounds.

"So that's why we weren't at period 3!" Ash concludes, for the third time since we got back to school.

It's lunch now. After we got back, we went straight to Mr. Oak (the head teacher) to explain our absence. Luckily, he was in a good mood, so we went unpunished. Unfortunately, he made us apologise to the teacher whose lesson we should have been in, and explain to them ASWELL why we weren't there. And now, of course, it's lunch, and MAY wanted to know what happened. So we filled her in on all the details. Well, except maybe ONE... Squeeeeee! I still can't believe THAT happened! I mean... My mind... is just... Squeeee!

"Woah, so THAT'S why you were acting so weird, Dawn." May's voice penetrates my thoughts.

"Uh... Yeah... I guess" I agree absentmindedly.

"Wow, I guess you were right after all, May!" Ash says, grinning knowingly.

She pales. "I thought you weren't gonna mention that!"

I have no idea what they're on about, but we all laugh. I'm just glad everything's back to normal.

...Almost. Squeee!

Period 5 would NORMALLY be a boring lesson, but my mind is just too full of amazingness and happiness and just a general fuzzy feeling of content; I couldn't possibly be bored. Every 20 seconds I find myself gazing automatically in Ash's direction, and every so often we have that weird awkward moment when he looks at me, and our eyes meet. But I guess that's okay, it isn't as bad as it would have been a few weeks ago. And sometimes I get a weird feeling of being watched - like eyes searing into the back of my head - but I shrug it off, and blame it on my exhausted mind playing tricks on me. The bell rings loudly, startling me out of my thoughts. Is its really the end of the lesson already? It went by so quickly! Oh well. I think my... Brain must be... In shock?! I quickly grab my bags, and head out the door, pausing just outside the classroom to wait for Ash.

"So," he says, running a hand through his uneven jet-black hair, "Can you still come tonight?"

I pause. In everything that's happened today, I completely forgot about our planned date.

"Sure!" I reply enthusiastically. Even after these certain 'events', I wouldn't miss it if he paid me. We start out of school, and are ready to take the road into town, when Ash stops abruptly. At first I can't tell why he stopped. I glance around me anxiously, and my eyes fall on a familiar red-headed fiend.

"What are YOU doing here?" I ask her, almost spitting the words out; the calm and content in my mind is almost gone - replaced with loathing for this girl who is so determined to separate me and Ash.

"Oh, you know. Just the usual 'stalking you subtly into town while you're on your date in the hope you have such a uneasy feeling that you call it off' kinda thing!" She says it pretty enthusiastically; like if you were to ignore the context, it would probably sound like part of a normal conversation.

I'm about to reply, but Ash steps in.

"Well, Little-Miss-Psycopath, you can stalk us all you want. But it won't matter. You can't bother us any more." He sounds even more angry than I was, but somehow calmer.

Suddenly I start picking up random little details in his speech pattern, like how he put extra emphasis on the word 'us' - I'm pretty sure that was there to annoy Misty even more - and the way he seems to be deliberately containing his anger - which somehow enhances it, in the 'calm fury' kinda way.

"What did you just call me?" she asks, slowly and menacingly.

"You heard me," Ash replies confidently.

"Oh? So you think I'm a psychopath? Do you want to TEST that theory?"

She advances slowly, glaring at Ash fierily. He just stands there, cool as anything. Which is not an exaggeration in this sense.

Misty looks taken aback; she must have expected at least SOME reaction. Then, almost as if she was never affected, her expression turns calm and composed, and she looks perfectly dignified.

"Okay, fine. I'll... Uh... Go now. And I'll prove you wrong! Because... Uh... What kind of psychopath backs down! Willingly! So... Uh... Bye?."

In her moment of weakness, I almost feel sorry for her. As she slowly retreats, I get the sense that there is background information here, that we don't know - and probably never will. I know she'll almost certainly be back, but that doesn't bother me. We can deal with her now. We know how. And so does everyone else.

Later. After about an hour traipsing around random shops and streets with no particular goals or destination, we finally decide to stop - in a small street which we used to play on when we used to be best friends in primary school. As it's still winter, it's already getting dark; I'm surprised my mum hasn't rung yet to check I'm okay. No matter how much I try to think about other stuff, that moment from earlier keeps coming into my mind. And then I think about my realisation from the other day, and to tell the truth, it scares me. To think that I could feel that strongly for someone... It just doesn't seem possible. I slowly lean against the wall. I just... Don't know what to do. Do I tell him, or someone else, or-

"You okay?" Ash asks quietly, interrupting my thoughts, "You seem kinda out of it"

"Uh.. Yeah. It's just... I..." I have no clue what to say.

"What? You're not secretly dating Gary, are you?" he teases.

"No!" I laugh. Just the idea is enough for me to crack up completely, it's so ridiculous.

"Well what is it then?" he asks, suddenly serious.

"Um.. I think... I think I love you!" The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them.

I feel REALLY stupid. Also terrified. For a second, I think he's gonna think I'm crazy, or obsessed. Or freak out completely. But then he moves closer to me, and smiles his amazing lopsided grin.

"I think... I think I love you too."


End file.
